Tattling

Wu Jiong: "Then we'll get back to do it this evening."

The weather is getting warmer, and although the tribe hasn't started hunting and gathering collectively yet, individuals can already try going out.

The two planned to go for a walk in the woods today to see if they could hunt or gather anything.

They were lucky today; they found a peju fruit tree in the woods with some fruit still hanging on its branches.

This is a nut that tastes like hazelnuts; it tastes great when roasted.

It's a pity they're a bit small; the fruit is only about the size of a finger, and the kernel inside is only the size of a soybean.

It's already this season, so finding wild nuts outside is already quite a feat.

The two picked all the fruit from the branches and ended up with a small bag.

Jian Mo estimated it weighed around eleven or twelve pounds, about the same as an overweight male cat.

When they returned, the fermented stems made from grass sprouts were almost ready.

When they filtered the water, they obtained a bucket of milky white liquid, which was completely different from the liquid that came out when they simply filtered the grass sprouts.

There's no need to cook it Jian Mo; you can already taste the sweetness when you taste it.

He scooped up a little with a spoon and let Wu Jiong taste it. "It does taste sweet, doesn't it?"

After tasting it, Wu Jiong nodded seriously.

Jian Mo breathed a sigh of relief, "It looks like everything's fine now, we can start cooking."

Tonight's dinner is roast meat and pan-fried stem and grass sprout meat patties.

Although the stems and shoots have been filtered, they should still contain nutrients, so they shouldn't be wasted. Besides, these shoots are quite tender, so they should be fine for humans to eat.

Jian Mo added meat and garlic powder to it before frying, and it tasted pretty good, with a unique aroma.

He left a few pieces of stem-shaped grass sprout meat patties for Jiujiu, and brought them to Jiujiu along with other grasses, which Jiujiu warmly welcomed.

When Jane returned after feeding the Flying-Winged Beast, Jian Mo noticed that the broth in the pot had begun to thicken, and by the firelight, she could see that the broth was gradually turning a pale yellow.

Jian Mo's spirits lifted. "That's the feeling! We'll definitely be able to make the sugar today!"

Wu Jiong smelled the sweet aroma. "It should be ready before I go to bed?"

Jian Mo gestured. "No problem!"

Since she had nothing better to do, Jian Mo decided to take the opportunity to roast the nuts.

There's nothing wrong with roasting nuts; you just need patience. Use the lowest heat and keep turning them over until they're fragrant.

The soup in the earthenware pot smelled sweet and fragrant, while the nuts on the stone slab were roasted and delicious.

Jian Mo, smelling the two aromas, had a sudden inspiration. "Wait, we could probably make some nut candy!"

Wu Jiong: "Hmm?"

Jian Mo jumped up. "Quick, quick, find some other nuts. We can shell them, crush them, and add them to the sugar syrup later."

Wu Jiong hesitated for once. "Will this taste good?"

Jian Mo laughed, put her arm around his shoulder, and gave him a playful push. "Don't doubt my cooking skills!"

Wu Jiong went to find the remaining nuts in the house and gave them to Jian Mo.

Jian Mo used the stone slab to roast the nuts until they were fragrant, and then the two of them cracked open the nuts together and crushed them.

The mixed nut pieces have a wonderful flavor and taste incredibly delicious.

Jian Mo: "You crush the rest of the nuts, I'll go check on the syrup."

At this stage, they need to stir the sugar syrup in the pot constantly, otherwise it will easily burn.

Jian Mo used a spatula to scoop out a little sugar syrup.

The sugar syrup clung to the spatula and dripped down in large swathes, its aroma and sweetness making it look like pieces of amber.

It looks so tempting.

Jian Mo dipped two grass stems in the water and gave one to Wu Jiong.

The two of them savored this rare sweetness together by the fire.

"It's sweet and refreshing," Jian Mo commented. "Not as sweet as honey, but it has a unique aroma and is quite delicious."

The sugar on the grass stems had solidified into a sugar shell. After tasting it, Wu Jiong remarked, "Easier to obtain than honey."

Jian Mo: "Yes! If our planting goes smoothly in the future, maltose, no, wheat maltose, will be even easier to obtain."

Jian Mo sighed, "Life is getting better and better."

Chapter 67 Complaint

Before the sugar syrup cooled down, Jian Mo poured in the crushed nuts, stirred it well, and then poured it onto an oiled stone slab.

When I woke up the next day, the candy had solidified. The amber-colored candy wrapped around crushed nuts and emitted a sweet aroma, filling the whole house with the unique scent of candy.

Jian Mo couldn't wait to wash the knife, cut off a small piece, and savor it slowly.

The sugar is very sweet, the nuts are fragrant and crunchy, and the sweetness and aroma unfold in the mouth, creating a wonderful collision of textures and flavors.

After finishing the first piece, Jian Mo couldn't resist trying another one.

Just as they were eating, Wu Jiong slowly walked in from outside the courtyard.

Jian Mo's eyes lit up, and she immediately called out to him, her eyes sparkling as she asked, "The candy is ready, have you tried it?"

Wu Jiong: "I haven't had a chance to try it yet, how is it?"

Jian Mo a piece, held it up, and ran over to him. "I think it's delicious! You'll know once you try it!"

Wu Jiong took a bite of a piece of candy, and his expression subtly changed.

Jian Mo asked expectantly, "How is it? Does it suit your taste?"

Wu Jiong: "I've never eaten this kind of food before. It's very unique and delicious."

Jian Mo laughed, "I ate quite a lot of it when I was little, but I got a bit tired of it as I grew up, so I stopped eating it so often. I didn't expect it to taste so delicious now."

Jian Mo, still wanting more, cut two more pieces of candy, one for herself and one for Wu Jiong: "It's really delicious."

Wu Jiong: "These are all things I've eaten before, but when combined, they have completely different textures."

Jian Mo ate a few pieces of nut candy and was still a little tempted, but she couldn't bear to eat any more, so she decided to cut them into pieces and put them in a jar.

The cut candy was a bit sticky, probably because maltose has a high water content.